You know you’re getting old when you look through your car steering wheel, rather than over it OR when you can no longer cut your own toenails OR when you and your teeth don't sleep together. In other words, getting old(er) is not for sissies. We are in a war with aging. The problem with that war on aging is that it can’t be won. No one ever grows young, we wake up each day one day older – no one avoids this rule - like it or not.
An easy question to answer is: what is the worst about growing old? A harder question is, what is best about growing old? Older adults are measured by the word ‘still’ – can I still drive, can I still walk, can I still chew? The good news is that there is one area of our life that can still continue to thrive and that is our spiritual health.
We are made of body, soul, and spirit. Age fades our body and soul, but our spirit can stay strong throughout life. Many cannot still go to a church, but regardless of our age, there are many ways we can still enhance the health of our spirit. As a matter of fact, that area of life is much more important than our physical, mental or emotional health because our spiritual health determines our eternity and does not just deal with the temporary time we have on this earth.
Age brings more and more experiences (bad and good). We, hopefully learn from those experiences. One great way we can develop our spiritual health is to share those experiences with others. When we can share our trials, tribulations and victories with others, our spirits can grow stronger and others are helped. The Bible tells us that God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
A popular question from those increasing in age can be, why am I still here? The answer - God knows you still have something to give. When we do not share what God has given us, then our spiritual health stagnates or decreases and others lose the opportunity to grow spiritually.
Bottom Line: We still have something to give regardless of our age. The most important thing we can give others is to show them how they can grow their spiritual health by learning from our experiences. When we do that, we can better answer the question, what is best about growing old?
By: Chaplain Gary Adams
